Yukon Quest 2016: Pack of mushers expected to arrive in Dawson City Thursday

Seven mushers have now arrived in Dawson City at the halfway point of the Yukon Quest International Sled Dog Race, with as many as nine more expected to arrive Thursday afternoon.

Torsten Kohnert of SwedenandTom Frode Johansen of Norway pulled into Dawson early Thursday morning. They're in sixth and seventh places respectively.

Last night, Ed Hopkins of Tagish, Yukon, arrived shortly after 7:30 p.m. as the leadingCanadian, in fifth place. He said the trail is hard and fast, but having to care for his dog team, which suffered an outbreak of diarrhea, has left him exhausted.

"Oh, I'm tired," he told reporters in Dawson City.

"I just can't seem to find that other gear. But these [dogs] are doing good. They're making me look good actually, but it's a lot of work looking after these guys."

Mushers arriving at Dawson City take a mandatory 36-hour break. Defending champion Brent Sass is in first place, arriving more than two hours ahead of second- and third-place mushers Allen Moore and Hugh Neff.

Matt Hall, in fourth place, also made it to Dawson City on Wednesday.